


In Exchange

by AsheCorinthos



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Angst, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Illnesses, Incest, Romance, Royalty, Sacrifice, Sibling Incest, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25437418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsheCorinthos/pseuds/AsheCorinthos
Summary: "The feelings you share are not hidden from the eyes of gods." —Your grievous sins have earned the ultimate punishment. Yet, if you are given the choice, would you sacrifice part of yourself to protect who you love?
Relationships: Kagamine Len/Kagamine Rin
Kudos: 23





	In Exchange

"You need to be more careful, Rin!"

"Oh, you worry too much, big brother."

Rin gazes down at her brother from her perch above his head, her hands carefully balancing herself on the somewhat sturdy branch. The warm summer breeze sends her hair fluttering into her vision, making her just a little bit more unsteady- something her concerned sibling can't help but notice.

"You need to come down from there," he continues to tell her, the frown evident on his face. "It's unladylike for you to be climbing trees, you know? You're going to get hurt."

"Since when have you ever cared about how ladylike I am?" she asks smugly, a smile opposite his distressed expression resting over her lips as she observes him. She clings to the branch, her long skirts cushioning her from the roughness of the bark.

She adores the twist of his mouth as he sinks into contemplation- probably thinking of ways to get her down. Rin takes this time to observe Len's countenance, the soft pull of the corner of his mouth as he nibbles the inside of his cheek in nervous habit. His sapphire blue eyes catch the beautiful, cloudless sky above them, perfect reflections that she can barely tell also show her own picture in their depths. His handsome face, seeming somewhat more wise than his sixteen years of age, shows nothing but concern for her safety. His silky golden hair, so similar to her own, is pulled back into a loose ponytail with his favorite faded blue and black ribbon, and gently waves down his shoulder. She imagines running her fingers through it when it's unrestrained, remembering the way it feels underneath her fingertips when she's allowed to touch.

"You know father won't approve of you dirtying your clothes." Len tries another approach. His arms are crossed over his regal azure vest as he speaks, as he attempts to be as serious as can be. She can always tell when he's putting on a show- he's always been the convincing one of their duo. Skilled with words, able to turn anything in his favor and gain the upper hand. Smart and cunning for sure when he wants. Luckily, she's long grown accustomed to that side of him.

Still grinning at him, she simply shrugs away his warning. "They're just clothes, I have plenty more of them. You could always join me, you know. It's rather nice up here."

Her amused tone isn't lost on him, and she watches his frown deepen on his face. As cruel as it may sound, she loves watching him worry over her, to see his eyes darken as he thinks of how best to bring her to safety. She could probably watch his ever-changing expressions every day, all day, with the same intrigue.

"Please, Rin," he finally says, a sheepish, slightly desperate expression settling over him. "If nothing else than for my own peace of mind, will you come down?"

At this she truly does ponder his request. Now that he's chosen to use her weakness- himself- to his advantage, she seems to have no choice but to reconsider her perch up here. If she's honest, she'd love to be down below to stand beside him, give him a hug and an affectionate peck and beg him to play with her longer before they'd have to return indoors. He's lit up all in an orange glow from the setting sun, and she pictures him in all white attire, with brilliant and graceful wings stretching out from his back. He really could be one of the most handsome angels there is- and to her, he really is one.

"Hmm… I suppose I could," she relents a bit, watching how he grows a bit happier at this admission. "However…"

"However?" He quirks a brow at her hesitance.

"However, I… am not sure I _can_ get down." Now it is her own turn to feel sheepish, swinging her dainty feet and giggling uncertainly.

"You- what?" A scowl crosses his mature features. "Oh, Rin…"

A few heartbeats pass as her intelligent brother thinks of how to fix her predicament, while she continues to rake her gaze over his form. She likes to notice the smaller things about him, things no one but her would dare to see or have time to capture like she can. The slight tap of his foot with frustration, his tense stance, the unlabored way he breathes and his fingers digging into his long sleeves.

Suddenly he extends his arms, letting out a sigh and then flashing her one of his blinding smiles.

"Then, I suppose you'll just have to let me catch you."

Well, she _thought_ he was intelligent. Her face sours quickly, her eyes narrowing. "You can't be serious."

"Do I not look the picture of seriousness?" His kind smile melts her heart all too easily. "I've never dropped you before, now have I? You know you can trust me to catch you whenever you fall. I'd never let you get hurt."

His words embed themselves in her mind, making her cheeks heat up unwillingly. She presses his image deep into her memory, because there's nothing about him she wouldn't love to recall.

"Do you promise not to drop me?" she asks him, though she's already made up her mind.

"I promise. I'll always protect you." There's not a single shred of hesitance in his declaration.

Rin stares down at the angel awaiting her descent below, ready to take her into his arms without any fear at all, and she takes a deep breath, her fingers gripping tightly into the painful bark of the branch-

-and then she lets herself fall.

**.x.X.x.**

_**I dreamed a beautiful dream.** _

_**You were there as well as I.** _

— _ **It doesn't seem like a dream even if it's over.**_

**.x.X.x.**

In the warm twilight night, she lays across his bed on her stomach and eyes his back. Her nightie rides up her slender, cream white legs as she swings them petitely behind her, her chin held up with her palms.

"How much more studying do you need to do?" she asks, voice dripping distaste. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"Of course not, Rin," comes his chiding tone. He doesn't even look up at her from his desk, the light of his candle spilling over his room and giving everything a gentle gleam. "I'll be done soon. You can always go sleep in your own room, if you can't wait."

She grumbles under her breath in return. For as long as she can remember she's snuck into his room to sleep instead, never enjoying the cool space of her bed alone. She always manages to return to her room without being caught; she's turned it into an art, really. Len stopped trying to make her return a long while back, but he still occasionally tries to push her that direction.

"Come on, Len, I'm tired… You know I can't sleep without you." She's being unreasonable again, as per usual. Her brother brings out the more selfish side of herself, the side that demands his presence, his warmth, his moments and attention. She's not sure if she hates this part of her, or cherishes the fact that it wins her more arguments with him than anything else. Still, she can't keep the somewhat whiny tone from her voice as she blows air between her lips loudly.

Len audibly groans, clearly disgruntled by her- yet affected all the same. Gently setting his pen down, he caps his inkwell. That action makes her heart beat faster, and she settles down a bit, ceasing her bored movements to watch him clean up after himself, always the tidy one. She knows he probably should be continuing his work, since he's considered his studies important most his life and prefers to make sure he's ahead of himself, but she can't make herself wait any longer for him.

Picking up his candle, the blond boy walks over to his younger sister, setting the light source on his bedside table. Then he makes his rounds around the room; closing his bedroom curtains, and locking his bedroom door with a click. The first time he'd done these things she'd thought him a bit silly- _why would it matter,_ she'd thought- but now she knows it's necessary.

While he does this, she moves up his large bed to slip underneath his blankets, the familiar material a welcome comfort on her exposed skin. She waits for him there, as he gives the door handle a gentle tug and then comes to her side.

He removes his usual ponytail and sets the ribbon neatly down on the table, and she marvels at the soft flowing locks cascading down to his mid-back. She's always loved his hair, the touch of it as it slides between her fingers, the pull of a brush through it when he would allow her to play with it goodnaturedly. Without embarrassment he undresses before her, removing the strict and elegant clothing he dons normally as son of a noble family; she can't keep her eyes away from his toned torso or the sleek beauty of his bare skin as he changes into his nightwear. She's always patient for this part, enjoying what she's allowed to see and slightly irked by what he doesn't let her view while he switches clothes.

Finally joining her under his bedspread, Len blows out his candle and lets his room sink into darkness. Unlike when she was young and felt terrified by such black depths, no longer does she feel apprehensive in the dark. As long as he's by her side, she feels no fear.

She waits for him to get comfortable, and then she slides over into his waiting arms. He is welcoming, pulling her into his chest and curling his arms around her protectively, to shield her from whatever may lie outside their embrace. With gentle, deft fingers he toys with her own hair, a sensation she never gets tired of. She burrows closely into him, at last able to enjoy being in his arms after a long day of being away from him.

Rin pauses a moment, before gently sliding her hands up over his sides, feeling the contours of his body she'd just seen a few moments before. She notes the way he stiffens, just a little, beneath her exploring fingers. She remembers the first time he'd reacted, the sudden tension and his muscles coiling in reflex, unsure. Now he no longer tries to push her away or protests.

"Were you lonely today?" he abruptly asks, his lips brushing the top of her forehead tenderly. She's not expecting that kind of inquiry, and stills her touch.

"Why do you ask?" The answer comes out more abrasive than she intends, but thankfully her face is more or less buried in the loose fabric of his nightshirt.

"You always touch me more when you feel sad or upset," he tells her, and she can sense a small smile when he speaks.

Of course he can tell when she's upset. No one has ever been as perceptive of her feelings as Len has. He knows her inside and out, like the back of his hand. Knowing that in itself makes her chest warm, filled with light.

"...Maybe," she admits, and she revels in the way he chuckles under his breath, his chest moving underneath her. His heartbeat is so easy to hear from this spot, so close.

"I'm sorry, Rin." He's massaging her shoulders, decorating the top of her head with tiny kisses. "It's been a long day today. I missed you."

Those words send little lightning thrills racing beneath her skin. She resumes her adventuring of his form, pleased again, her own heartbeat picking up.

"...I missed you more," she says stubbornly, refusing to look up at him for fear he'll somehow see the dark blush spreading over her cheeks. He's seen it a hundred times before, and in terribly embarrassing situations, but she still feels silly letting him see her turn red as a fresh tomato.

However, he crushes that wish to pieces easily by reaching for her face, his fingers dancing along her cheek, warm as flame against her skin. His thumb brushes down the line of her jaw, before gently pushing her to look up at him. Her eyes meet his, catching those glittering jewels that reflect even the tiniest amount of light. Eyes she adores, basks in the gaze of.

"I highly doubt that," he breathes, and her being melts instantly with his velvet tone. Somewhat husky, intense- more than he'd ever show during the day. "I don't think you could ever miss me more than I you. I think of you always."

As if to cement that sentence, he tilts his face down to hers, and her heartbeat skips wildly in her chest as it always does when he grazes his mouth against hers. It's soft, nothing more than having a butterfly flutter its wings against her lips, but it's beautiful and genuine all the same. He is always this way with her, treating her with utmost care as if she is exquisite china and he may break her if he dares be too rough, but she never minds. These moments stolen in the warm night are ones she keeps close to her heart. Her eyes flutter closed to enjoy the contact, as fleeting as it is.

When he pulls away, she instantly misses the feeling of being connected to him. Changing her position and lacing her arms around his neck, she snuggles into his neck and catches the fragrance of his boyish scent, loving the motions of his fingers tracing shapes through her nightgown. She's no stranger to this kind of affection anymore, and instead relishes her moments when she can thrive under his hands. Those moments are small and sometimes far in between, but she never ceases to love them.

"I love you," she murmurs into the silence, pressing chaste kisses to the base of his throat, the hollow that meets his collar.

She used to fear his response, to panic at the very thought of admitting such a thing. But it was all so natural, so perfect; it fell into place far better than she ever thought it would.

His answer never changes- his words haven't ever wavered, even if they were first afraid too.

"And I love you," he replies, hugging her closer. "I love you, my little star."

That's all she needs to hear- all she ever _wants_ to hear- and she tugs him down again to meet her lips in a kiss not as gentle or calm as his had been. She treasures his every kiss, and how he doesn't fail to return the soft urgency she displays. He always shows her equal love, and that's all she could ever need.

She can't imagine a world without him, and she hopes he can't see one without her, either.

**.x.X.x.**

Rin has always been fond of his piano playing.

To walk through the halls of their grandiose home and hear the gentle notes of different lullabies wafting through the air, to follow it to his favorite room and observe him be so engrossed in his music- that has been a favorite pastime of hers since they were very young. His music gives the otherwise empty mansion a lovely feeling of _life,_ brightens its dim halls and silent rooms just that much that she feels less lonely.

(Not that she's ever felt lonely with him by her side. She hasn't needed anyone else except him since they were just children.)

She would often sit beside her dear brother as he tapped his long, slender fingers across the ivory keys. He'd sing to her, too; his voice a melody in itself that would bring her a sense of comfort and ease just as easily as if he'd put a blanket over her shoulders. She's learned every tone, every different sound he can possibly make, and adores each one of them.

She'd been passing through and had heard his music resounding down the hall. Seeing as he hasn't been playing as often as he once did, she felt her curiosity rise, and she followed the notes to where he sat. Peeking through the doorway, she has observed him in his most natural state, creating beauty through his fingertips like only he could do. Her lips curve in sweet content with his rhythm flooding through her. His head is bowed over the keys, his broad shoulders moving with speed and grace from her point of view. His long ponytail drapes across his shoulder, a tad haphazard from being toyed with. Normally she would approach and run her fingers along his spine in comfort, even offer to join him, but today she stands there and just watches him in action. Her pure, loving brother so at ease and radiant.

 _He really should become a professional musician,_ she muses to herself, leaning against the doorframe. _He's so much like mother used to be. But… then I'd have to share this with everyone, and this side of him is one only I want to see._

Suddenly the music draws to a halt. She peers at him in confusion as Len's fingers pause against the keyboard in perfect stillness, his head still bowed as if in concentration.

Then, dissonance, as his hands hit the keys in abject abruptness and cause a ringing, painful screech into the air, followed by the unmistakable rasp of his loud, rough coughing. Her eyes go wide as he rushes to cover his mouth, and shakily draws to his feet only to collapse a second later against the bench, dropping to an unceremonious heap beside it with only a hand against the wood frame to steady himself.

Her heart freezes, and she runs into the room instantly, rushing to his side and crying his name in fear. As she pulls him into her arms, she can't understand what's wrong. His face has gone ghostly pale, and in his splayed hand is a sharp crimson red splash.

"Len? Len, are you alright?!" she cries, cracking under the weight of her horror. She aims her voice elsewhere, desperate. "Help! Someone, please! Please, _anyone_ -!"

As she holds him to her chest, he raises his now-glassy sapphire eyes to hers. Reaching to touch her face with his other hand weakly, he smiles, a small dribble of blood zigzagging from the corner of his lip.

"I'm fine…" he whispers to her, his voice barely heard above her shrieks. As she stares down at him in disbelief, he smiles.

"My little star... don't worry. It will all be alright..."

**.x.X.x.**

_**I prayed that you might be saved.** _

— _ **I cried out in pain, "Please save us."**_

**.x.X.x.**

His hand is cold and clammy within hers.

Rin's head rests against the side of her brother's bedside, feigning sleep and yet refusing to let her fingers be pried from his own. His unmoving body is an uncomfortable pillow, and yet she would rather be nowhere else.

Her sweet, dear older brother has been quiet for days. Bedridden and sick as can be, he hasn't spoken a word since the day he collapsed. His skin has taken on a cool, porcelain pallor with dark circles under his eyes. The once vibrant beauty of his features is now marred by illness, and her heart wrenches in twain because of it. It's as if she's staring at a stranger and not her own flesh and blood.

Their parents have been searching fruitlessly for ways to help him, and come up with nothing substantial enough to defeat it. No medicine or herbs have worked, and the physicians have all claimed his illness to be too severe to cure. Just this morning, the final one had shaken his head at her father and sorrowfully announced her brother would only live a few more days before passing on.

The very thought of losing Len hurts so much that she may as well have struck herself in the very soul with an icy blade. Without him, there would be no meaning to her life, no reason to go on. The love of her life, the sweet, poetic, mature older brother she adores so much… To lose him would be to lose herself.

Yet, what can she do? As only a teen girl, there's nothing she can do to fix what ails him. Powerless to help him, she's caught in a limbo of fear and dread, constantly waiting for his last exhale to be his final.

"My dear brother…" she murmurs only to him, being the only one within earshot of her words as she lifts her head to graze her lips across his cheek. "Please… Please hold on. I want to help you so badly… But, I…"

Her own sheer lack of ability to fix what has come over him threatens to overtake her in that instant, and her eyes fill with tears. Weeping, she buries her face in his tunic, finding small reassurance in the quiet heat of his torso.

Within Rin, she prays, calling out to any being out there to send her a sign or answer her wish to save him. The strongest feeling in her that she has ever felt, an flawless and pure desire for Len to live.

"... _Child, you are calling out so loudly that I cannot imagine beings from the other universes have not heard._ "

The voice is so shocking that she yelps, instantly drawing her head up to find the source. Yet the room is dark save for a simple candle flickering at Len's bedside. Otherwise, the darkness of the night lingers and casts shadows along the walls.

"...Who spoke?" she demands feebly.

" _You search for phantoms, girl,_ " the female voice replies. " _You will not find me in the confines of this room._ "

Instantly she cowers, clinging to Len's hand. Is it a demon, or has she truly lost her mind now? Is she so struck with grief over what has happened with Len that she no longer has control over her own cognizance?

"W-Who are you?" Rin whimpers.

" _I am the answer to your prayers, child, the Witch of the Star Sea,_ " the mysterious person whispers, the tone echoing in the room. " _Your cries have reached my ears, and I am willing to offer you what you seek._ "

Her dread drains away as Rin realizes what it means. Lifting herself from Len's security, she swallows hard, her mouth turning dry.

A witch… And not just any, but one she'd heard of before. Legends and childhood fairytales of the witch living on the edge of the nearby oceanside flood back to her memory, having been long forgotten. Of course, those tales had been told with embellishments she's sure, but she'd never really though that witch actually _existed._

...Until now.

"What do you mean?" she asks the empty air.

" _Come, my child, to my abode to the northeast,_ " the voice murmurs into her ears. " _We will speak of this in privacy. Find me where the ocean becomes the sky._ "

And, in that instant, a weight lifts off of Rin's shoulders that she hadn't noticed there before. The room feels emptier somehow, and it's then she realizes that the witch's presence is no longer with her. Her chest feels tight and her mind uncertain, a roiling confusion burning beneath her skin.

However, one look at her pale brother lying so forlornly against the alabaster of his pillows reminds her of what truly matters, and her tumultuous mind presses her to go through with it.

_I was taught not to believe in the words of strangers… And yet, this cannot be coincidence. Len has so little time left and if I do not act quickly, he will…_

Gazing down at him, she inhales deeply, before leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss against his forehead.

"My dear brother…" she speaks low, grazing her fingers upon his cheek. "Please… Hold on just a little longer. I will cure you, I promise. Please wait for me just a little while more."

Her eyes drift to the nighttime sky outside his window, and her fingers grip tight into fists.

_The witch of the star sea…_

_...I'll be there soon._

**.x.X.x.**

If she had known a witch lived so close to home, her nights would have been much more restless.

Draped in a dark cloak and rushing from tree to tree in an effort to not be seen, Rin grips tightly to the thick fabric. Her simple gown is already in tatters from the brambles and plants along the dirt path she'd found, which will be hard to explain away later. Of course, if Len is well again, she'll happily take any punishment for sneaking out of the castle. As well as the obvious reprimand she'll receive for taking along a satchel of her father's gold to pay the witch.

_I don't know if this will be enough, but I'll give anything for Len. Whatever she asks, I'll happily give up for him._

Being outside the castle like this reminds her of the days of her younger childhood with Len, how he would chastise her for being too reckless in her elegant dresses or how her hair would become tousled by the wind and her own playing. Those memories play through her mind as she walks, bittersweet in their own right.

_...That witch… I hope she's true to her word._

After what seems like millenia of walking, she finally crosses the threshold between forest and beach. The expansive starry sky stretches out above her head in sweet shades of azure and indigo, speckled and beautiful.

_If only Len could see this sky with me. ...I'll make sure that we both see it soon._

_Now, what did that witch mean about the stars and the ocean?_

Aimlessly, she begins to tread down the beach, looking for any indication of the woman's home along the empty land. Her heart begins to sink at no sign of her anywhere, and the chill of the salty sea sticks to her skin.

Then she casts a glance to her right, out beyond the horizon, and it strikes her that there _is_ no horizon. Instead, the fine line that separates the land and sky is gone, and the curtain of stars spreads into the waves as if it belongs there. The very water is glassy and unbroken, still beneath the night, and she's left in awe at the sight. Nothing has compared to something like this in her entire life.

After a moment, she realizes there's another light source coming from behind her, and as she moves to look at it, her jaw drops when she sees a small, humble villa in plain sight. It certainly hadn't been there just a few moments ago, and yet…?

_There's no mistaking it, right? That has to be the right place…_

Unwillingly tearing herself from the beauty of the stars, she walks up to the doorway of the shack and tentatively goes to rap her knuckle against the wood— and it swings open without making contact.

Inside the hut, the dimly surroundings are various shades of purple and deep sapphire blue. Everything is tinged in a deep orange from the flickering candelabra sitting atop a round table in the center of the room. There are shelves lining every inch of the hut inside with knickknacks ranging from gorgeous to terrifying.

"...Hello?" she calls out, taking a few steps forward into the stuffy space filled with the scent of incense.

The door behind her closes with a resounding click, and she whirls around to come face to face with deep blue eyes that seem to drown her within them. A woman stands there in a flowing mahogany gown that clings around her elegant frame embellished with streaks of silver, with luscious garnet hair that falls like a curtain over her chest. Her skin is porcelain white, almost to be mistaken as sickly, yet there is nothing about this woman that speaks of illness.

The air of her presence says volumes of her authority, however, as Rin is immediately overwhelmed with the scent of wisteria perfume. The witch spares no time in coming closer to tower over the blonde, taller than her by a head's height. Her doll-like beauty is punctuated by the lack of smile on her small lips.

"Welcome, Rin Kagamine, daughter of the king," she intones in melody, feminine yet strong, resembling a goddess in the candlelight. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

She sweeps past the girl, and Rin has to shake off her awe visibly as she follows the pinkette's path to the table, the woman's delicate hands grazing the tablecloth. Steeling herself, she takes a step forward.

"I… Madame Witch, I cannot dally here." She tries to make her words sound regal, a feat Len makes seem all too easy when he performs the act, but she falls short. "Please, tell me— you said that you can provide the cure for my brother?"

"Patience, girl," the sorceress hums. "We have not discussed payment, and you may first want to consider what I will ask of you as it may be too steep a price to pay."

"Please, I'll give you anything," Rin instantly says, reaching into her cloak to withdraw the bag of gold and offer it to her. "I brought payment with me, but I can still offer you more."

The pinkette waves a hand at it.

"Nay, child. Your mortal currency means nothing to me," she responds firmly. "What I desire cannot be obtained with worthless material."

A black feeling engulfs her heart, and her body stiffens at the words. The sack slips from her grasp to the wood floor, and she instead grips the hem of her cloak with steel fingers.

"Then… Then what? What can I give to you? I have little to offer, but I'll do anything for you. I am the princess, but as a person I have naught."

"Your highness, with all due respect… What has happened to the prince is a karmic price for what the two of you have done," the witch responds, and Rin's eyes go wide. "It will take something with equivalent value to undo what has been done."

"I- I don't understand. What did you just say…?"

A rip from within, a tear in her heart, and she's standing there in horrified shock as the woman merely stares her down from the opposite side of the table, the candelabra lighting up her face yet casting menacing shadows upon her as well.

_No... What could she mean?_

"You are paying for your sins," the witch murmurs. "That of incest, of loving one another… This is the price you must pay."

A heartbeat passes filled with fear, of disbelief. Then—

"No! _Don't_ \- Stop speaking with such insolence!" Before she can stop herself, Rin lashes out at the woman, unable to hold back as the secret is exposed so recklessly. "How dare you imply that-"

"You cannot hide the truth from me, little girl." The woman's cold words halt her in her anger, her cerulean eyes pinning her to the spot like icicles puncturing her to her core. "The feelings you share are not hidden from the eyes of gods, nor from my all seeing visions and the guidance of the stars. You will not lie to me."

Her words threaten to spill incoherent drivel at the woman, to defend herself; but it's written across the other woman's face just how little it matters. Her secret, _their_ secret, is out there foretold in the universe itself. Her soul sinks deep beneath her feet, threatening to allow her to collapse to the floor.

"I- I do not know what you want, sorceress," Rin murmurs through her tight-lipped fear. Now she can only see the other woman as her enemy— what would she gain from offering her a cure for Len, if not in exchange for some awful, wretched punishment? "Do you wish to blackmail me in exchange for royal favor...?"

"Your hostility is unnecessary," the pinkette responds, still not daring to break eye contact. "Your assumptions do you no good. Listen well to my words, princess."

Waving a hand over the candelabra, suddenly the flickering orange flames become a vibrant shade of blue. In fact, the entire room becomes much colder as well, and Rin takes an involuntary step back in fear, afraid she has angered the great witch.

"Your sins have not gone unnoticed, and I must right that which you have thrown unbalanced," the witch declares in a steady, firm intone. "You only have two choices as to how you may right your wrongs. Your brother will die as the universes have decided, or I will alter his fate… in exchange for that which is most precious to you. Your happiness."

Rin's mouth goes dry, and she cannot tear her eyes away from the spinning flames now. They seem to coalesce, framing the woman's face in eerie coldness.

"My… My happiness?"

"I will take away the very thing that gives you the love that you feel. I will alter your soul so that you may never again be given pleasure by his touch. Your smiles will be empty, your eyes will lose the light of life they now carry. You will become a puppet going through the motions… but your brother will live unscathed. You must make the ultimate sacrifice of a sacred piece of your soul if you wish for him to recover. _You_ must make the decision to lose that which you cherish most."

Heart pounding like a drum in the pit of her chest, Rin grips tight on the fabric of her dress, suddenly feeling like she can't breathe at all. The corset is too tight, preventing her from getting her thoughts together; she can't process anything, yet she feels the burning gaze of the witch on her unflinching.

She would lose… _herself_ , in exchange for Len's well being. Is… Is this what she wants?

_Is he worth that?_

The very thought is a slap to the face, and she can't even begin to fathom how such an awful, contemptuous thought entered her mind. Of _course_ Len is worth it. He is everything. He has always been her reason for happiness, for her smiles, for her life.

Always, always, always… Len has been her light. The guiding soul that gives her own meaning. Their love has been pure, just, and carried her through the harsh days of living as the royal princess. The dreary, boring days of following the rules and living up to the expectations of their father have been broken by the fun and love he'd always shown her, unconditionally.

What he has given her cannot be equal to anything else in this world. So then… there is only one choice she can make. If he has truly given her so much, then at the very least there is only one thing she can do for him. One thing to give him in exchange for all that he has done for her.

When she finally meets the woman's gaze, something has resolved inside her. Her uncertainty has faded, and in its place is a strength she had never known before. Her blue eyes shine amidst the cold light, and she takes a deep breath that shakes her to her very core.

...The choice was made from the very beginning.

**.x.X.x.**

_**We'll get used to this hoax that our love made** _

_**When the moon comes out to watch the bright daylight die.** _

**.x.X.x.**

It is dawn when she returns to the castle.

The large structure is just beginning to light up with the sunlight's first morning rays when she approaches the front gates, uncaring if she's seen. Yet she only makes it a few steps toward it when the gate doors are opened, and she's greeted by the sight of her elder brother peeking out at her.

"Rin! Rin, oh, thank goodness," Len cries out immediately, rushing to her cloaked figure. His golden hair shines like woven silk, mussed from being unbrushed and hanging loose around his shoulders. His face is flush, but an obvious change from the pale mask that he had just hours before. The differences being so severe is truly a miracle in itself.

"I searched for you through the entire castle. I could not find anywhere, and I knew that you had to have left the castle. I know I told you never to leave the grounds without me, but you must've been upset. That sickness, I thought I would die from it, but then I recovered suddenly as if waking from a dream."

His words are rushed, as if he can't wait to free them from the entrapment of his thoughts, and as he stands before her, he seems beyond happy, enthralled even, by the sight of the rising sun. Running a hand through his hair, the smile on his face is absolutely radiant.

"Ah, it is wonderful seeing the morning light again. I feel better than I have in ages," he sighs in relief. "Although we should hurry inside before Father is upset with us, though he is happy I am alright…"

"...It is good you feel well again."

Len stiffens immediately at the sound of Rin's voice. His eyes draw back to her, the smile dimming from his lips as he glances over her frame.

"Rin… You sound unwell. Are you alright?" he asks, his eyes narrowing.

"I am fine." Her words are curt, unfeeling, and he picks up on that immediately. He edges closer to her, staring into her unblinking eyes.

Ah… her heart used to beat so much when he would look at her like this. Now she feels nothing. She can't fathom why she used to feel like that, either. It seems like that feeling never existed.

"No… No, something is wrong. I thought you would be happy to see me. I… What happened? Rin, what happened to you?" Already his voice is laced in concern, and he takes her by the shoulders. Her cloak slips off her head to reveal her crown and bobbing yellow curls, yet when the light catches her eyes, his mouth drops open.

He can tell, she notices, that something is wrong. He truly is perceptive of her feelings.

But that doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore.

As she stares up at him, her gaze listless and dull, her words come out as if rehearsed for years. There's nothing to them anymore except the gentle motion of her mouth forming the words.

"Do not worry," she whispers calmly, as the light begins to dull in his own gaze as well. "Everything is fine now."

"Everything… is alright."

**.x.X.x.**

_**Love you always, deeply,** _

_**Genuinely, immensely, steadily with all my heart.** _

— _ **Be strong, and all will be alright.**_

**.x.X.x.X.x.**

* * *

**...There are no happy endings here.**

**Written using lyrics from** **Myositis- M2U, and Marigold -M2U.**


End file.
